An Obsession with All Things Handmade and Home-Cooked

Fiddler on the Plate

Wild edibles can be elusive creatures; hiding where you least expect them, and absent where they aught to be found. A hunt worth pursuing, it just takes a bit more effort to get dinner on the table if foraging is involved. Luckily, here in New England, the forests are ripe with fiddlehead ferns, and I was determined to find them. Hundreds of ferns spring up every year in my own backyard, but alas, they’re not the tasty sort that you’d want to consume. Clearly, it was time to search farther afield, as there was no chance I would miss out on these short-lived seasonal specialties for yet another year. An epic journey ensued, or a wild goose chase, depending on who you ask, with over 50 miles traveled. Out into the vast, untamed natural beauty of… Whole Foods in New York City.

Yes, I know, I’ve lost all “foodie” cred for admitting that, but I just couldn’t find those suckers anywhere. Not by poking through the swamps or shopping in any local markets- There’s good reason I always miss out on fiddlehead ferns every spring. Still, this was the next best thing to foraging in the great outdoors, and the bounty still ended up being free. Our gracious cashier didn’t know how to price them, readily admitted this problem, and handed over the goods free of charge. Gotta love that kind of luck.

Most important to any dish utilizing these delicate wild vegetables is to keep it simple, and allow those ferns to shine. Taking inspiration from their coiled shape, I thought of shrimp scampi, minus the seafood of course. Though it’s hardly a revolutionary recipe, it was a delightfully fast, satisfying dish, which would pair beautifully with just about any protein accompaniment, be it bean or wheat. Garlicky strands of noodles intertwined with the stars of the show, brightened by a hit of lemon and fresh herbs, it simply screams “spring!” Fiddlehead ferns do have a sadly short window of availability, so don’t wait; go and “forage” some for yourself, before it’s too late!

First, prep your fiddleheads by removing any particularly long ends and remaining papery “scales.” Wash well, particularly if you did find them yourself out in the wild. Cook in boiling water for a full 10 minutes, drain thoroughly, and immediately plunge them into a bath of ice water to arrest the cooking process. Once thoroughly chilled, drain once more and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package, and drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil to prevent the strands from sticking, and set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining oil and toss in the prepped shallot and garlic. Saute over medium heat for about 5 – 7 minutes, until softened and lightly browned. Add in the mirin and lemon juice, simmering for about 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook and mellow a bit. Add in the cooked noodles and fiddleheads, tossing to incorporate with the sauce, along with the parsley, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 – 3 more minutes until piping hot, and finally top with the lemon zest.

28 thoughts on “Fiddler on the Plate”

I remember foraging for fiddle heads with my granny when I was little and she always boiled them until they were grey and tasteless and I haven’t eaten them since. I think if my granny had prepared them in a recipe like yours I would have enjoyed them. You’ve encouraged me to give them another go. They are the veal of ferns.

I’ve never had fiddleheads before…I saw them a couple years ago at a local market but didn’t pick them up (I had no idea what do to with them back then!). Since then I’ve discovered a few different recipes using them that sound delicious, but I haven’t seen them again at the market! Funny how life is, isn’t it? Next time I find some I’m grabbing them! :) They look absolutely perfect in your scampi!

They taste kind of like tender, coiled asparagus, in my opinion- Which is to say, amazing and delicious! Unfortunately no, you can’t eat them raw, and you’d probably get sick if you did. That’s why they’re so thoroughly boiled in this recipe.

I always get my fiddleheads at whole foods as well :P And I think last time, I got them for free also. I came THISCLOSE to getting ramps there for free this weekend but hte girl charged them as scallions when she couldn’t figure them out. Still a discount.

Oh, I’m so envious of all this talk of fiddlehead-foraging! These utterly, utterly don’t exist in Australia. In fact, I remember taking a photo of them in a grocery store on one of my first days exploring the States in 2007; such was my wonder at their crazy appearance.

P.S. I’m very upset at the lack of actual Fiddler on the Roof talk in this post, though. I’ve always loved that musical, and it has an even stronger spot in my heart after my backstage/orchestra pit adventures in Florida!

I think I had fiddleheads once when I was a child, at a friend’s house. Her parents were always making me try “weird” things (to me, anyway)… but I haven’t had them since. I’m sure my grown up palate would be much more appreciative!

I never heard of these little green guys, they are so nice to look at. I totally agree that since nature made them so scroll-like (it made me think of my cello actually) one should not cook them too much, but simply prepare so that they be eatable but still look like they have been freshly picked. Success here!
You are lucky they did not charge you for them. As I never saw any of those in France, I guess it is expensive, but I may completely wrong?!

Oh yes, the prices can be crazy! Because fiddlehead ferns only grow wild and can’t really be cultivated, they’re somewhat of a rarity and always in short supply. To get an idea of the costs, here’s an online vendor…http://www.marxfoods.com/fresh-fiddlehead-ferns (Yikes!)

i saw a lot of these this weekend at pike place mkt.(seattle) and was wondering if i should pick them up and add to my bursting veggie bag.. but didnt know what iwould do with them, so decided to skip till i knew something more abt them:) and here u r.. i’ll head back to the market once i finish up this veggie stash. they do look a bit creepy when all piled up together in the bin:)

Foraging at Whole Foods and getting them free is wonderful. There is a market in Exeter that carries them occasionally. If I see them on a menu I order them. I’m always on the lookout for spring ramps as well.